This plan is as close to a road funding plan as South Carolina has ever been.

This plan is as close to a road funding plan as South Carolina has ever been.

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Updated: 8:05 PM EST Mar 3, 2016

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WEBVTT , LIVE IN HENDERSON COUNTY. GABRIELLE: THANKS, COREY. AFTER WEEKS OF DEBATE AND BITTER DISAGREEMENT OVER HOW TO FIX SOUTH CAROLINA'S ROADS, SENATE LAWMAKERS HAVE COME UP WITH A PLAN THAT WOULD PAY FOR REPAIRS WITHOUT RAISING THE GAS TAX. WYFF NEWS 4'S TIM WALLER IS HERE, WITH THE DETAILS OF THAT PLAN. TIM: GABBY, THIS IS AS CLOSE TO A ROAD FUNDING PLAN AS SOUTH CAROLINA HAS EVER BEEN. IT STILL ISN'T FINAL. THERE IS STILL MUCH DEBATE AHEAD, AND THERE IS STILL DISAGREEMENT AMONG SENATORS ON SOME OF THE FINER POINTS. HERE'S THE PLAN, IN A NUTSHELL. NO INCREASE IN THE GAS TAX, WHICH SOME SENATORS FOUGHT TOOTH AND NAIL. $400 MILLION PER YEAR FROM THE GENERAL FUND SET ASIDE FOR ROAD REPAIRS, AND A REFORMED SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. D.O.T. WOULD BE PLACED UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S CONTROL. THIS MORNING, STATE SENATORS MET BRIEFLY TO TALK ABOUT THE PLAN THEY HAMMERED OUT LATE LAST NIGHT. SENATOR LARRY MARTIN OF PICKENS SAID IT'S TIME TO PASS LEGISLATION TO FINALLY FIX THE STATE'S ROADS. >> BUT NEXT WEEK, I THINK THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH CAROLINA EXPECT US TO ACT. IT'S TIME TO ACT, AND IT'S TIME TO VOTE, AND I'M PREPARED TO DO THAT, AND I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN ME IN MAKING THAT KIND OF PROGRESS, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS STATE. TIM: DEMOCRATIC SENATORS ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THE AMENDMENT, BECAUSE IT USES MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO PAY FOR ROAD REPAIRS. SENATOR BRAD HUTTO OF ORANGEBURG SAID, "REPUBLICANS DECIDED TO TAKE MONEY AWAY FROM CORE FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT, SUCH AS EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, AND JOB RECRUITMENT." NEVERTHELESS, SENATORS WILL BEGIN DEBATE ON THE PROPOSAL NEXT WEEK, AND IT'S POSSIBLE WE

Senate lawmakers propose plan to fix roads without raising taxes

This plan is as close to a road funding plan as South Carolina has ever been.